Pressing iron



A ril 25, 1933. F. J. CLARK 1,905,804

PRESSING IRON Filed Oct. 21, 1931 Patented Apr. 25, 193.;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v FREDERICK J. CLARK, OF BUFFALO,

NEW YORK, Assmnoa 'ro s'rmu raassrno mow COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PBESS ING IBONe Application filed October 21, 1931. Serial Iio. 570,127.

This invention relates to improvements in pressing irons of that type which are equipped with means, such as an electric heating element, for heating the iron and means whereby steam may be discharged under control from perforations in the iron for moisteningthe goods while pressing them with the iron.

Steam pressing irons of that nature are known which are equipped with an electrical heating element for heating the iron and with means including a valve or device on the iron for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom so that the steam can be turned on or shutoff at will to enable the goods to be moistened or to be'ironed' dry Without the application of moisture, as may be necessary or desirable, depending upon the character of the work being done. There is a serious objection to irons of this type, in which the discharge controlling valve or device for the steam is located on or adjacent the iron, because with such an arrangement, at times, water of condensation in the iron or flexible steam hose is discharged from the iron. This prohibits the use of such irons for pressing materials or articles which would be spotted or injured by water.

ing iron equipments have been made in which the iron is heated by an electric heating ele= I ment, but in which the valve for controlling thedischarge of steam from the iron islocated at a distance from the iron and in such a way as to prevent the possibility of the dis charge of any water from the iron, the steam discharge valve or device being operated by a foot-actuated pedal or device operatively connected to the discharge valve. Such an arrangement limits the usefulness of the iron since it can only beusedin locations where the operator can reach 'the pedal. It has also been proposed to make such irons with a control device or switch in connection withthe,

iron for controlling theoperation of the distant steam discharge valve. These last mentioned constructions, however, have involved complicated or special constructions of the iron or an arrangement of the control device for thesteam discharge valve which is incondischarge valve attachment which can be readily applied to In order to overcome this objection, press- 7 venient in use, or open to objections for other reasons.

One object of the present invention is .to provide a gressing iron equipment of simple and desira 1e construction in which a steam discharge valve located at a distance from the portable or hand iron and so as to prevent discharge of water from the iron, is operated through a control device mounted on or lo.- cated adjacent the iron and preferably so that it can be conveniently operated by one ofthe fingers, as the thumb, of which the iron is manipulated.

Other objects are to provide an iron of this type in which the control device for the steam. is in the form of a simple irons of present construction equipped with an electrical heating element; in which the control means for the steam discharge valve includes an electrically actuated valve and a control device therefor located on or adjacent to the iron; in which said control attachmentis' constructed as a separate unit and can be readily and easily applied to the iron without change or modification in the construction of the iron; in which a detachable plug or connector for the flexible conductor cord is provided which not only sup lies current to the electric heating element 0 the the hand by iron but is also equipped with a switch or device for controlling the action of the steam discharge valve or device; and in which the pressing equipment is of the improved construction and has the other advantages hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. he accompanying drawing illustrates one practical embodiment of my improved steam pressing iron' equipment or apparatus.

In said drawing: Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the iron on an. ironing board or table, and the steam and electrical connections for the iron.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in section, of the iron.

Fig. 3is a plan view of the iron, partly in section, on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4.is an inside elevation of one-half of the electric plug or connectorv for connecting the electrical conductors to the iron.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuits for the iron heating element and discharge valve operating mechanism.

The iron 10 is preferably provided with a handle 11 of usual type, supported above the body of the iron by front and rear legs 12 rising from the body, and with electric heating means which may be of usual construction, consisting of a removable element 13 provided with a resistance coil within a thin .flat insulating body which is removably secured between separable upper and bottom portions of the iron body. This heating element may be provided with the usual terminals 14 at the rear of the iron for engagement with a plug or connector 15 on the end of a flexible cord 15 trical conductors for supplying current to the heating element are incorporated. Steam for moistening the goods may be supplied to the iron through a flexible hose 16 connected to a suitable fitting 17, preferably at the rear of the iron. As shown, the iron has a steam chamber 18 in the upper portion of the body with which the fitting 17 connects and which connects by a passage or thimble 19 with a shallow chamber 20 in the bottom of the iron from which the steam is adapted to be discharged on the goods being pressed through small perforations 21 in the bottom; face of the iron. These parts are usual in electrically heated steam pressing irons and, as thus far described, the iron may be of usual or any suitable construction.

The flexible steam hose 16 extends from a steam-supply pipe 22 which may be located overhead or in other suitable relation to the ironing table and is provided with an electromagnetic or electrically actuated valve 23 of known construction, by the opening and closing of which the steam is admitted to the iron so as to discharge through the bottom perforations 21 thereof, or is shut off when 'it is deslred not to moisten or apply steam to the goods being pressed. The steam pipe should be arranged as shown, or in other appropriate manner, so'as to prevent any water of condensation passing through the valve 23 to the hose 16 and iron. As shown, the valve 23 is arranged in a portion of the steam pipe which is located at an elevation above the main steam supply line 24; and

" a steam separator 25, and a steam return pipe 26, which are usual in this-type of steam pressing iron equipment, are provided.

The steam discharge valve 23 is controlled for opening the same to discharge the steam from the iron, and for closing the valve to shut off the steam by control means which are arranged at the iron in convenient position for operation. Preferably, this 'control means is constructed as follows: The flexible cord 15 is provided with three wires or conductors 30, 31, and 32 (see Fig. 4) respecin which the electively attached to terminals 34, 35 and 36 within the plug or connector 15. The wires 30 and 31 and their terminals or contacts 34 and 35 are parts ordinarily provided in the plug or connector for connection with the terminals 14 of the electrical heating element of the iron, and these contacts 34 and 35, as usual, are arranged in cavities in the plug 15 and extending to the outer end thereof so that the terminals 14 of the heating element are adapted to enter the cavities and frictionally engage the plug contacts 34 and 35 for electrically connecting the heating element 13 with the conductors 30 and 31.

The third terminal 36 in the plug 15 preferably has attached to it a spring switch arm 37 provided with an operating stud 38 rojecting out through a hole in one side 0 the plug 15 so that by pressing this stud inwardly, the free end of the switch arm 37 is adapted to be placed in electrical contact with one of the other two terminals, for instance the terminal 34, in the plug. The two wires 30 and 31 connect the heating element with the electrical supply line for furnishing current to the heating element in the usual way when the plug 15 is inserted in the socket 40 on the iron for placing the terminals 34 and 35 of the plug in connection with the terminals 14 of the heating element. By manipulating the switch arm 37, a circuit is established through the electromagnetic steam discharge valve 23 by means of circuit connections hereinafter explained' 'so that when the stud 38 is pressed inwardly, the valve will be opened to permit steam to discharge through the perforations 21 of the iron and when the pressure on the stud is released, the spring arm will move by its resilience to open the circuit and close the steam discharge valve 23 to shutofi the steam.

The stud 38 may be actuated for thus controlling the discharge of steam, by an actuating device mounted on the iron and preferably forming part of an actuating at,- tachment or unit which is separate from and is adapted to be detachably secured on the iron. This actuating attachment, as shown,

includes a bearing plate 39 provided with a hole adapted to pass over a screw stud 41 projecting upwardly through the cover or top of the iron in front of the rear leg 12 of the handle, and the bearing plate 39 is prefpreferably are the screw and nut usually provided on the iron for securing the top or cover on the body of the iron, and thus it is t5 thum the electro not necessary to provide the iron with any additional or special means for securing the actuating attachment in place on the iron.

The bearing plate 39 is preferably provided at opposite ends with upwardly projecting lugs 44 through bearing openings in which passes an actuating shaft 45 which is provided at its front and, beneath the-handle 11 of the iron, with an upwardly projecting thumb or finger piece 46 and at its rear with an arm 47 which projects upwardly from the shaft in a position to engage and press the switch stud 38 inwardly to close the valve actuating switch when the thumb piece is pressed inwardly by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle of the iron. Thus," the operator, when using or manipulating the iron for pressing an article or piece of goods, can, by the simple pressure of the thumb of the hand grasping the iron, actuate the shaft 45 and the plug switch 37 for opening the steam discharge valve 23 so as to discharge steam through the perforations in the bottom of the iron. 7

The electric circuits for supplying current to theheating element 13 and operating magnetic steam discharge valve may be arranged as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawing. In said figure,- 50 and .51 represent the two conductors of the electric supply line. These conductors lead to an outlet box 52 and are respectively connected in the outlet box to the two conductors 30 and 31 of the flexible cord and plug 15. The heating circuit is established from the line wire 50 through the outlet box- 52, conductor 30, through the-heating element 13 and back through the conductor 31 to the other line wire 51 .so that when the plug 15 is inserted in the socket 40', in engagement with the terminals 14 of the heating element, the heating circuit will-be completed and the-element will heat the iron. The third wire 32 of the flexible cord and connector 15 leads to the outlet box 52 and from the latter by a conductor 53 to the, electrical element of the steam discharge valve 23 and the other terminal of this electrical element .of the valve is connected by c'on-- ductors 54'to one side 51 of the supply line so that when the switch arm 37 is pressed in-' wardly against the terminal 34, a circuit will be established from the supply line 50 through the conductor 30, switch arm 37, conductors 32 and 53, electrical element of the dischargevalve 23 and back through the conductor 54 to the other side 51 of the suppl line.

In the useof the iron, after t e pl'ug has been inserted in the heated by means of the heatin iron can be usedin the usua pressing the goods and when it I discharge steam for moistening the goods,- the o rator simply Presses by means of his on the thumb piece 46,} thereby presselernent, the

"carried by tachable from the iron 4 heating element thereof with a source of elecsocket 40, and the iron" manner for is desired to.

be opened by the outward movement of the spring arm 37 of the switch and thecircu-it'.

will be opened and cause the electric valve to close and shut off the steam.

By the described construction, the switch plug or connector 15 which is ordinarily employed for connecting the heating element of the iron with the electrical supply circuit also provides the" switch and circuit connections for actuating the steam discharge valve. This plug, except for the provision of the third conductor and switch, is of standard design and can be used with an iron provided only with a heating element and which is not equipped with steam dscharge controlling means, but by using the described plug or connector 15 and mounting the actuating attachment or unit on theiron, the steam discharge valve can be actuated to control the discharge of steam from the iron at .will by the electrical connections thus established between the iron and the steam discharge valve.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination of a pressing iron equipped with steam discharge means including an electrically actuated device distant from the iron for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom, and operating means for said electrically actuated device including a connector detachable from the iron and carrying a switch, andan actuating device for said switch mounted on the iron adjacent to the handle of the iron.

2. The combination ofa pressing iron provided with an electric heatingelement, and steam discharge means including a valvedis tant from the iron for controlling the discharge of steam'therefrom, a. connector detachable from the iron for connecting the heating element thereof with a source of electricity, and electrical operating means for said steam discharge valve including means said connector for completing the valve operating circuit.

3. The combination of a pressing iron provided with an electric heating element, and steam discharge means including avalve distant from the iron for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom, a connector defor connecting thetricity, electrical operating means for said steam discharge valve including means carried by said connector for completing the valve operating circuit, and an actuating device ositioned adjacent thehandle of the iron or opening and closing the valve operating circuit.

4. The combination of a pressing iron provided with an electric heating element, and steam dscharge means including a valve distant from the iron for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom, a connector detachable from the iron for connecting electrical conductors with said heating element, and electrical operating means for said steam discharge valve including a controlling switch associated and movable with the iron and electrically connected through said connector with said steam discharge valve.

5. The combination of a pressing iron provided with steam discharge means including a valve distant'from the iron for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom, a bearing plate detachably secured on said iron, a control device movably mounted on said bearing plate in position to be actuated by a finger ot' the hand grasping the handle of the iron, and means controlled by said control device for operating said steam discharge valve.

6. The combination of a pressing iron provided with steam discharge means including a valve for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom, and a handle having a supporting leg rising from said iron, a bearing plate, a fastening device removably securing the hearing plate on said iron, said bearing plate having parts which engage said handle leg and cooperate with said fastening device for holding said bearing plate stationary, and operating means for said steam discharge valve including an actuating device movably mounted on said bearing plate.

7. The combination of a pressing iron provided with an electric heatin element, and steam discharge means inclu ing an electrically actuated valve distant from the iron for controlling the discharge of steam therefrom, a flexible cord and connector detachable from the iron and including three conductors, said connector having terminals for connecting two of said conductors with the terminals of said heating element and a switch for electrically connecting and disconnecting said third conductor with and from one of said two conductors, and electric connections for connecting said two conductors with a source of electricity and completing a circuit through one of said two conduc- Y tors. said electrically actuated valve and said third conductor when said switch is closed.

FREDERICK J. CLARK. 

